1)Helen Chamberlin Awarded to Dromkeen Medal 2014 2)2 images from "Moon" my picture book next Aug

In order to celebrate my publisher/editor Helen Chamberlin's award, I was invited to the Dromkeen Medal Awards ceremony, a very prestigious prize in Australian publishing industry, on 12 October at the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne. Only once in a lifetime an individual is allowed to accept it. It should have been Helen's day, but Helen is so humble and modest. Roughly 280 people were invited – including from Victoria, interstate and overseas. Friends, can you imagine? This small lady has created a great Australian publishing history. 

Now, Helen stepped up to make a speech. I started sketching her — that would be my little present for her. Helen’s speech was full of thanks to related people: the SLV and Dromkeen Foundation, and of her admiration of other medal recipients. She reviewed her long career and recalled the many authors and illustrators she collaborated with. Her speech often made us smile and giggle in a very gentle way. She never forgot thanks to all collaborators from A to Z in creating picture books and books for young readers! What she does I’ve already written in my own blog posts.  She gives me initiatives and pulls me back from a wrong way, but only if I need. She mothers illustrators and authors, yet she humbly always says, “they did/do it, not me.” 

Suddenly, I heard my name in the middle of her speech!

Sweet Helen even introduced me, Sadami Konchi, and my debut work “Moon,” written by Matt Zurbo and edited by her, to be published next August. Furthermore, she supported me. How nice! Oh, you cannot imagine how much I appreciated her strong support for me and my first picture book, "Moon"!!  It surprised me very much.

"In the second row, in the middle, there's Sadami Konchi (Helen kindly indicated to the audience where I was with her hand!). Please warmly welcome her who has come to Melbourne with a great effort." Wow... Helen cared for my difficulty in walking... I felt a strange feeling among very big names... I'm nameless. I only knew Helen and a few very famous illustrators there. The other attendees were all established and renowned in the publishing industry. Actually they have created modern Australian picture books. Thank you, Helen, for supporting me so much. I am very happy. 

                         From "Moon"... 

One more scene for you... 

Whilst listening to her speech, I, too, was thinking of her achievements such as...
Helen has achieved a national and international reputation for producing groundbreaking Australian picture books, junior fiction and young adult literature. She developed the After Dark novel series illustrated in black-and-white, for reluctant older boy readers and the first Australian picture books for adult readers. Often collaborating with author Gary Crew, she’s nurtured many new talents, including Gregory Rogers, Anne Spudvilas, Peter Gouldthorpe, Neil Curtis, Narelle Oliver and Shaun Tan. (*They are all leading illustrators in Australia and even in the world!) 

Shaun Tan, has pushed the boundaries of picture books. His work with Helen has changed their public image from easy kids’ reading to philosophical books that bear academic discussion on universal themes and social issues, displaying sophisticated art.

Moreover, Helen’s work challenges social problems and quests for global justice, while pursuing beauty and excellence in visual art and design like The Drover’s Boy by Ted Egan and Robert Ingpen and the wordless picture book, The Arrival by Shaun Tan, the Australia’s first highly successful graphic novel. She takes risks to publish controversial topics, yet gains huge success in genre, style and media from music to digital images. Her work captures a broad readership... 

My thoughts often overlaped her speech. Helen again, thanked for all related people at the end of the speech. 
Applause, applause!

After the ceremony, we celebrated her win. Oh, wine was so sweet! She showed me the medal. Helen Chamberlin’s name is engraved on the other side of medal. Her honourable certificate was beautifully framed and granted to her. Helen delightedly accepted my sketch. 
"How did you do it?" Helen asked me and we laughed.   

I sketched her during her speech (= only for 10 minutes, Friends!). When I heard my name in her speech, yes, I became extremely shy! Sketching is my best way to calm myself down. It always proves Sadami's drawing ability and skills, too. Super stars and guests began to whisper, "Did she(Sadami) make it??" "Oh, so sensitive and nice," etc around me. I blushed up and could not hear them well... but the sketch made me comfortable. 

After the ceremony, topnotchers told me, "We can't wait for your picutre book!" 
"You worked with the best editor in Australia!" Yes!!!
These top people are Helen's wonderful friends!. 

Congratulations, Helen! Helen has become the legend in Australian publishing history. I'm very honoured to eye witness to her achievement and to have participated in it. Above all, what a blessing to have worked for our picture book, Moon! We shared joy with her happily ever after. But the saga of Helen continues. It's the beginning of a new story. She is creating more Australian picture books and enjoying editing texts. With Dromkeen's honour and encouragement, she moves on and steps into a future. 

“The work of an editor or publisher of children’s books is to be a facilitator – to make sure the huge talent we have in Australia gets out there to our children in the best possible shape.” --- Helen Chamberlin.  

Endlessly, I do applause! We’re fortunate to have such a wonderful editor Helen in our children’s  book industry. Friends, I've been writing about Helen from time to time. Feel free to write your any comments on  Helen, the Dromkeen Medal, "Moon," editing, publishing industry and so on. I certainly pass them to Helen.

Friends, Happy Painting and Happy Illustrating!!

... and so shy Helen ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ
Ehum! Helen and I tease at each other, still now, hahaha?!

**Lastly, SPECIAL thank you, Friends, for your great patience and keep visiting my blog despite my delay. I had to visit Melbourne all of a sudden and it made my life hectic for these weeks. I'll keep this post for a next week. 

1)Helen Chamberlin Awarded to Dromkeen Medal 2014 2)2 images from "Moon" my picture book next Aug